After controversial 2023 loss, Alabama Rawdogs win Babe Ruth World Series

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) — It took two years for this storybook end, but that book is now written, as the Alabama Raw Dog Babe Ruth team arrived back in Semmes Friday after capturing the Babe Ruth 16-18 World Series!

Coach Tony Hendrix agrees it is sweet revenge.

Sweet revenge, because , last year, the team placed second after six team members were forced to sit out the final few games of the series, following a controversial decision by the league ruling them ineligible.

And it turned ugly last year, when the Raw Dogs faced the hometown Cape Girardeau, Missouri team, whose fans peppered them with vulgarities.

Someone even smeared a dirty diaper on Alabama team vehicles.

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A few of the Alabama players became so upset they tossed their individual trophies into a nearby lake, drawing intense criticism.

But Coach Tony Hendrix says, this year, the crowd was more hospitable… and his team was not intimidated.

“No, sir. I think we prepared them for it, we discussed it, told them how it was going to be and what to prepare for and they did. We didn’t have any problems this year. We just show up and played baseball.”

And played, they did, in a game that saw the Raw Dogs finagle a run in the first inning that turned out to be the winning run of the game- Raw Dogs beating out Washington Kelso 1 to nothing!

“Joseph Stevens, he got a double to lead off the first inning,” says player Conner Fadalla, recapping the win. “And I think it was Quincy Walters, he hit a ground ball that got him to second, and Fuller Musgrove hit a fly ball and got a sac fly and we got that first run.”

Zack Munger crossed the plate for that run, not knowing it was a deciding moment in the tournament.

“The most part, we were sitting there thinking, we’ve got to score some more,” he says, “but Will Thomas did an amazing job on the mound, didn’t give up a single hit. Came in there after our starting pitcher got knocked out early with a sickness, but he filled his role very well.”

Some of these players weren’t involved in last year’s controversy… it was their first Babe Ruth tournament. Ethan Santos was there last year, but was ill this year and could go. But here remembers…

“It was motivating,” he says. “You lose and you have people from all over Missouri trashing your team and bashing you. So this year, our motto was… The Revenge Tour!”

And, apparently, it worked!

It wasn’t just players who were beaming, but their friends and family as well.

Conner English was in last year’s World Series, and that experience could have rattled him this year. But his grandfather, Lewis Graham, offered him good advice.

“Because pitching is as much in your head as it is in your ability,” he says, his grandson by his side. “Cause he’s got the ability and it doesn’t get into his head.”

It all has to hit at the same time. And Conner agrees.

“Yes, sir.”

As for grandfather-

“So you must be very proud of him.”

“Oh, yeah!”